1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to copying machines such as photocopiers as are in common use in offices and the like, and more particularly to such a photocopier or other type of copying machine that is operated in conventional manner and also is adapted for taking voice commands and in carrying-on a voice conversation with a user, i.e., receiving and acting upon a voice commend from a commend set, and responding to a user with a voice response.
2. Description of Related Art
The following art defines the present state of this field:
Borth et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,737,976, describes an improved hands-free user-interactive control and dialing system for use with a speech communications device. The control system includes a dynamic noise suppressor, a speech recognizer for implementing voice-controlling, a device controller responsive to the speech communications device and for producing status information representing the operating status of the device, and a speech synthesizer for proving reply information to the user as to the speech communications device operating status. In a mobile radiotelephone application, the spectral subtraction noise suppressor is configured to improve the performance of the speech recognizer, the voice quality of the transmitted audio, and the audio switching operation of the vehicular speakerphone. The combination of noise processing, speech recognition, and speech synthesis provides a substantial Improvement to prior art control systems.
Vander Molen. U.S. Pat. No. 4,520,576, describes a speaker independent conversational voice command control system which is useful in connection with home appliances operating within a range of selectable parameters, for recognizing voice commands and emitting synthesized speech sounds, in an interaction with a user, to obtain the input necessary for setting the operating parameters.
Froessl, U.S. Pat. No. 4,726,065, describes an improved method of entering instruction to a data processing system to modify the display includes voice recognition. In one embodiment the screen is divided into sectors and the memory supplying data bits to the display is functionally divided in a corresponding way. The operator utters sector identification and change instructions. Voice recognition apparatus provides recognized location information and instructions to an assembler from which commands are issued to the system. In conjunction with spoken instructions. The system is particularly useful in preparing material for microform storage.
Douglas, U.S. Pat. No. 5,335,313, describes a voice-actuated environmental operator system of the kind which enables a user/patient to use simple voice commands to control a plurality of hospital environment room functions associated with a provided multi-function hospital bed. The operator system uses conventional IBM PC, XT, AT or like computer which has been adapted for interfacing in a pass-though manner with the control unit of a provided hospital bed. The computer includes a voice card and associated voice recognition and training software for interpreting and translating voice input into digital information readable by a controller card for operating a plurality of bed motor and room function commands. The controller card includes a plurality of relay switch devices, each of which are dedicated to performing a specific bed movement or room function. An FCC registered data access arrangements is also provided to the controller card for telephone interface capability. In a first embodiment, data communication between the computer and the provided hospital bed's control unit is by passed-though hard wore cable interface connection between bed control unit and the DB9 and DB15 serial port connectors on the back of the computer. The DB9 and DB15 serial port connectors and disordered off the computer's motherboard and wired directly to the controller board. A headset microphone assembly wearable by a patient user is provided to the system for transmitting voice input it said voice recognition means and receiving system command confirmation signals and telephone communications.
Peck et a., U.S. Pat. No. 5,375,063, describes an apparatus and method for speech recognition control of apparel manufacture equipment, such as a sewing machine, is provided. This invention allows an operator to control specific operational modes of the apparel manufacture equipment though verbal commands recognized by the equipment as distinct from other sounds in the environment of the equipment. The invention includes a device for recognizing and translating an operator's verbal command into an electronic control signal; a communication device such as a microphone for imputing the operator's verbal command into the recognizing and translating device; and interfacing means for presenting the electronic control signal to the apparel manufacture equipment according to the present invention compromises the steps of receiving an operator's verbal command though, for instance, a microphone: recognizing and translating the verbal command into an electronic control signal; and routing this electronic control signal to the apparel manufacture equipment in a form recognized by the equipment.
Takebayashi et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,577,165, describes a speech dialogue system capable of realizing natural and smooth dialogue between the system and a human user, for easy maneuverability of the system. In this system, a semantic content of input speech from a user is understood and a semantic content determination of a response output is made according to the understood semantic content of the input speech. Then, a speech response and a visual response according to the determined response output are generated and outputted to the user. The dialogue between the system and the user is managed by controlling transitions between user states during which the input speech is to be entered and system states during which the system response is to be outputted. The understanding of a semantic content of input speech from a user is made by detecting keywords in the input speech, with the keywords in the input speech, with the keywords to be detected in the input speech limited in advance, according to a state of a dialogue between the user and the system.
Potter, U.S. Pat. No. 5,729,659, describes how an oral input is used to control a digital computer. Associative searching techniques of tabular data structures are used in conjunction with rules and conventions derived from natural language to facilitate the use of oral input. The method is capable of being implemented in connection with conventional sequential computers, associative single-instruction multiple data computers and parallel processors.
Douma et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,583,965, describes a voice recognition system and method for training provides a first voice signal representing an instruction as well as a predetermined instruction signal corresponding to the first voice signal and identifying the instruction as well as a predetermined instruction signal to produce voice recognition data for use by the system in identifying the instruction based on a second voice signal representing data for subsequent use instruction in response to a predetermined instruction signal corresponding to the first voice signal.
Mattson et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,303,148, provides a system which, during surgery, a physician speaks commands that are received by a microphone. A speech processor converts audio signals from the microphone into word signals. A command interpreter compares each word signal with a list previously authorized command words. When the word signal corresponds to one of the pre-selected commands words, a corresponding command signal is generated and sent to a volume imager, a video recorder, hard copy, printer, or other system component. The volume imager generates an image representing signal indicative of the portion of image data stored therein which is displayed on a video monitor or recorded on the video recorder.
Launry et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,086,385, describes a system and a method of providing an expandable home automation controller which supports multiple numbers and multiple different types of data communications within the home. The system is based upon a central processor, such as a microprocessor-based computer, and is connected by means of a data bus to control various products and subsystems within a home or commercial building, such as lighting systems, security systems, various sensors, multiple external terminals, as well as to allow for the input of commands by a variety of means such as touch-screens, voice recognition systems, telephones, custom switches or other devices capable of providing an input to a computer system.
Husseiny et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,519,809, describes a computer-aided geographic system highlighting a specified area of a map based on operator input. In a preferred embodiment, voice inputs form and determine the area to be highlighted. In the preferred form, the map used is a globe, and computerized controls turn and tilt the globe in response to the voice commands so that one or more spotlights inside the globe illuminate the area of interest. Information related to the geographic location selected may be retrieved and simultaneously displayed on a computer monitor, video screen, slide screen, and/or narrated by synthesized voice.
Tomitsuka et al., describes an instruction for operation mode control of a VTR and information on the video recording reservation is voice inputted. The voice input is recognized by a voice recognition circuit and is fed to a control circuit. The control circuit controls the VTR in response to the instruction information of the voice input and causes an animation character generating circuit to generate a video image of an animation character for displaying it on the screen of a CRT display. A message from the animation character is voice synthesized and a voice is outputted from a speaker.
The prior art teaches a variety of voice recognition applications related to the operation of equipment. However, the prior art does not teach how a copy machine may be controlled by voice commands and that a dialog between human operator and copy machine may be used to advantage. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides further related advantages as described in the following summary.